diff --git a/qubesadmin/tests/vm/properties.py b/qubesadmin/tests/vm/properties.py
index 126f2d6d..261aa936 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/tests/vm/properties.py
+++ b/qubesadmin/tests/vm/properties.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 # pylint: disable=missing-docstring
 
+import qubesadmin.vm
 import qubesadmin.tests.vm
 
 
@@ -305,3 +306,10 @@ def test_015_mem(self):
             ('test-vm', 'admin.vm.CurrentState', None, None)] = \
             b'0\x00mem=1234'
         self.assertEqual(self.vm.get_mem(), 1234)
+
+    def test_020_klass(self):
+        vm = qubesadmin.vm.QubesVM(self.app, "test-vm")
+        self.app.expected_calls[("test-vm", "admin.vm.List", None, None)] = \
+            b"0\x00test-vm class=AppVM state=Running\n"
+        self.assertEqual(vm.klass, "AppVM")
+        self.assertAllCalled()
diff --git a/qubesadmin/vm/__init__.py b/qubesadmin/vm/__init__.py
index 1442d349..00785db8 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/vm/__init__.py
+++ b/qubesadmin/vm/__init__.py
@@ -446,8 +446,21 @@ def klass(self):
         """Qube class"""
         # use cached value if available
         if self._klass is None:
-            # pylint: disable=no-member
-            self._klass = super().klass
+            try:
+                # use List method as that should be allowed for VMs that are
+                # visible
+                vm_list_data = self.qubesd_call(
+                    self._method_dest, "admin.vm.List"
+                )
+                assert vm_list_data.count(b"\n") == 1
+                vm_name, props = vm_list_data.decode("ascii").split(" ", 1)
+                assert vm_name == self.name
+                props = props.split(" ")
+                props_dict = dict([vm_prop.split("=", 1) for vm_prop in props])
+                self._klass = props_dict["class"]
+            except qubesadmin.exc.QubesDaemonAccessError:
+                # pylint: disable=no-member
+                self._klass = super().klass
         return self._klass
 
     def get_notes(self) -> str: